Previously packages of a continuos strip of material have been formed using a technique known as xe2x80x9cfestooningxe2x80x9d in which the strip is folded back and forth to lay a series of strip portions back and forth with each portions being folded relative to the next about a line transverse to the strip. The technique of festooning has been available for many years and is used in packaging many different types of material but particularly material of a fibrous nature such as fabric, non-woven strips and the like. In this technique, the strip is conventionally guided into a receptacle such as a cardboard box while a first reciprocating movement causes portions of the strip to be laid across the receptacle and folded back and forth and a second reciprocating movement causes the positions of the portions to be traversed relative to the receptacle transversely to the portions. Normally the receptacle comprises a rigid rectangular container at least partly of cardboard having a base and four upstanding sides.
In an alternative arrangement the strip is packaged by rolling the strip into a cylindrical pad having a width equal to the width of the strip or is wound into a cylindrical traverse package having a width greater than the width of the strip.
In all of these arrangements, the intention is to limit the number of splices in the strip since these slices cause the material at or on either side of the splice to be scrapped. Splices are necessary in joining the master rolls from which the strips are slit.
The above applications disclose details of an improved method of forming a package of a strip for supply of the strip comprising:
providing a strip having a first side edge, a second side edge, a first surface and a second surface:
forming a plurality of stacks of the strip;
in each of the stacks repeatedly folding the strip back and forth so that the stack contains a plurality of folded overlying strip portions of the strip, with each strip portion being folded relative to one next adjacent strip portion about a first fold line transverse to the strip and relative to a second next adjacent strip portion about a second fold line transverse to the strip and spaced from the first fold line;
arranging me strip portions thus to form a plurality of first fold lines at one end of the stack and a plurality of second fold lines at an opposed end of the stack;
arranging the strip portions thus such that the first surface of each strip portion lies directly in contact with the first surface of one next adjacent portion and such that the second surface of each portion lies directly in contact with the second surface of the other next adjacent portion;
arranging the strip portions with the first side edges thereof lying directly on top of and aligned with the first side edges of others of the strip portions of the stack and with the second side edges thereof lying directly on top of and aligned with the second side edges of others of the strip portions;
arranging the strip portions of the stack with the first and second surfaces thereof generally parallel to a top surface and bottom surface of the stack;
arranging the strip so as to be continuous through the stack between a bottom strip portion and a top strip portion;
arranging the stacks side by side without intervening rigid container walls;
and providing at the top and bottom of each stack a tail portion of the strip which is available for splicing to the tail portion of the strip of the next adjacent stack.
In most cases the entire top surface and the entire bottom surface of each of the stacks are placed under compression in a direction at right angles to the top surface and the bottom surface of the stack and the package is engaged by a packaging material which maintains the compression.
One problem which arises in the manufacture of a package of this type is in simultaneously folding the strips side by side to form simultaneously the side by side stacks of the finished package. For economic production, it is highly desirable that the folding is effected at a relatively high rate generally greater than 500 feet per minute, preferably of the order of 750 feet per minute and even up to 1200 feet per minute at which some lines currently operate. These higher rates allows the folding machine to be provided direly behind the manufacturing line thus avoiding necessity for packaging the material in web form prior to manufacture of the package of the type set forth above.
One arrangement for folding paper sheet into a single stack of zig zag folded sheet portion is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,670 (Felix) assigned to Jos. Hunkeler A G of Switzerland. Later U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,624 (Felix) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,789 (Hediger) are also relevant to this machine.
In this machine there is provided a carriage which moves horizontally back and forth underneath a stack of the sheets of paper. The carriage defines a transverse slot which is moved back and forth underneath the stack so that a supply of the paper sheet fed from beneath the stack through the slot is folded back and forth as the slot is moved back and forth under the package.
The package is supported on two belts each of which wraps around a respective one of a pair of rollers defining a slot. The upper run of each of the belts is thus in effect stationary holding and supporting the package in stationary position as the slot defined by the belts in the roller is moved back and forth. This arrangement as shown in the patents has led to a successful machine which folds paper sheet into a single stack at a relatively slow speed of the order of 200 feet per minute.
This machine is however unsuitable for and has not been in any way used for the manufacture of packages defined by a plurality of side by side stacks of strip material of relatively narrow width.
It is one object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved arrangement for forming a package of the type generally described above and an improved package formed by the method.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a package comprising:
a strip having a first side edge, a second side edge, a first surface and a second surface;
a plurality of stacks of the strip;
in each stack the strip being folded repeatedly back and for so that the stack contains a plurality of folded overlying strip portions of the strip, with each strip portion being folded relative to one next adjacent strip portion about a first fold line transverse to the strip and relative to a second next adjacent strip portion about a second fold line transverse to the strip and spaced from the first fold line;
the strip portions of each stack being arranged to form a plurality of first fold lines at one fold end of the stack and a plurality of second fold lines at an opposed fold end of the stack;
the strip portions of each stack being arranged such that the first surface of each strip portion lies dirty in contact with the first surface of one next adjacent strip portion and such that the second surface of each strip portion lies directly in contact with the second surface of the other next adjacent strip portion;
the strip portions of each stack being arranged with the first side edges thereof lying directly on top of and aligned with the first side edges of others of the strip portions of the stack and with the second side edges thereof lying directly on top of and aligned with the second side edges of others of the strip portions of the stack;
the strip portions of each stack being continuous through the stack between a bottom strip portion and a top strip portion;
the plurality of stacks being arranged side by side with the side edges of the strip portions of each stack adjacent the side edges of a next adjacent stack;
the plurality of stacks thus defining two fold ends of the package containing the fold ends of the stacks and two sides of the package defined by outwardly facing sides of two outermost stacks;
each stack having a splice tail portion extending from a bottom end strip portion of the stack and spliced to a top end strip portion of a next adjacent stack with each splice tail portion extending along one of the fold ends of the stack;
the package being contained within a rectangular container having four rigid side walls each adjacent a respective one of the two sides and the two fold ends of the package;
the stacks having an uncompressed height greater than that of container such that, when uncompressed, a portion of the stacks is exposed above a top edge of the container;
the stacks being compressed in a direction at right angles to the surfaces of the strip portions such that the height of the stacks is reduced from the uncompressed height to a compressed height equal to the height of the container and such that the splice tail portions thus are loose;
said one fold end of the stack being spaced from the adjacent rigid wall of the container by sufficient space to receive the loose splice tail portion therebetween without compression thereof.
Preferably each of the splices between the splice tell portion and the top strip portion is arranged either at the top end of the stacks such that the loose splice tail portion is free from a splice or in the portion of the stacks which is exposed above the top edge of the container when the stacks are uncompressed.
Preferably each of the splices between the splice tail portion and the top strip portion is arranged at the top end of the stacks such that the loose splice tail portion is free from a splice.
Preferably the splice tail portions for alternate stacks are arranged al alternate fold ends of the package.
Preferably the container comprises a pre-formed structure including a sleeve portion defining said four rigid walls and a bottom wall.
Preferably the container is dosed by a top cover and wherein the package is maintained compressed by a strapping wrapped around the container and over the top cover.
Preferably the strip is compressible and wherein the amount of compression is sufficient to compress the thickness of each strip portion of each stack.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a package comprising:
a strip having a first side edge, a second side edge, a first surface and a second surface;
a plurality of sack of the strip;
in each stack the strip being folded repeatedly back and forth so the the stack contains a plurality of folded overhang strip portions of the strip, with each strip portion being folded relative to one next adjacent strip portion about a first fold line transverse to the strip and relative to a second next adjacent strip portion about a second fold line transverse to the strip and spaced from the first fold line;
the strip portions of each stack being arranged to form a plurality of first fold lines at one fold end of the stack and a plurality of second fold lines at an opposed fold end of the stack;
the strip portions of each stack being arranged such that the first surface of each strip portion lies dirty in contact with the first surface of one next adjacent strip portion and such that the second surface of each strip portion lies directly in contact with the second surface of the other next adjacent strip portion;
the strip portions of each stack being arranged with the first side edges thereof lying directly on top of and aligned with the first side edges of others of the strip portions of the stack and with the second side edges thereof lying directly on top of and aligned with the second side edges of others of the strip portions of the stack;
the strip portions of each stack being continuous through the stack between a bottom strip portion and a top strip portion;
the plurality of stacks being arranged side by side with the side edges of the strip portions of each stack adjacent the side edges of a next adjacent stack;
the plurality of stacks thus defining two fold ends of the package containing the fold ends of the stacks and two sides of the package defined bay outwardly facing sides of two outermost stacks;
each stack having a splice tail portion extending from a bottom end strip portion of the stack and spliced to a top end strip portion of a next adjacent stack with the splice tail portion extending along one of the fold ends of the stack;
the package being contained within a container including a sleeve portion defining upstanding four walls with a top edge and a bottom wall, such that each of the four walls lies adjacent a respective one of the two sides and the two fold ends of the package, together with a cover portion covering the top edge;
the stacks having an uncompressed height greater than that of container such that, when uncompressed, a portion of the stacks is exposed above al top edge of the four walls of the container;
the stacks being compressed in a direction at right angles to the surfaces of the strip portions such that the height of the stacks is reduced from the uncompressed height to a compressed height equal to the height of the container;
each of the splices between the splice tail portion and the top strip portion being arranged either at the top end of the stacks such that the loose splice tail portion is free from a splice or in the portion of the stacks which is exposed above the top edge of the container when the stacks are uncompressed.
According to a third aspect of the Invention there is provided a package comprising:
a strip having a first side edge, a second side edge, a first surface and a second surface;
a plurality of stacks of the strip;
in each stack the strip being folded repeatedly back and forth so that the stack contains a plurality of folded overlying strip portions of the strip, with each strip portion being folded relative to one next adjacent strip portion about a first fold line transverse to the strip and relative to a second next adjacent strip portion about a second fold line transverse to the strip and spaced from the first fold line;
the strip portions of each stack being arranged to form a plurality of first fold lines at one fold end of the stack and a plurality of second fold lines at an opposed fold end of the stack;
the strip portions of each stack being arranged such that the first surface of each strip portion lies directly in contact with the first surface of one next adjacent strip portion and such that the second surface of each strip portion lies directly in contact with the second surface of the other next adjacent strip portion;
the strip portions of each stack being arranged with the first side edges thereof lying directly on top of and aligned with the first side edges of others of this strip portions of the stack and with the second side edges thereof lying directly on top of and aligned with the second side edges of others of the strip portions of the stack;
the strip portions of each stack being continuous through the stack between a bottom strip portion and a top strip portion;
the plurality of stacks being arranged side by side with the side edges of the strip portions of each stack adjacent the side edges of a next adjacent stack;
the plurality of stacks thus defining two fold ends of the package containing the fold ends of the stacks and two sides of the package defined by outwardly facing sides of two outermost stacks;
each stack having a splice tail portion extending from a bottom end strip portion of the stack and spliced to a top end strip portion of a next adjacent stack with the splice tail portion extending along one of the fold ends of the stack;
the package being contained within a container inducing a sleeve portion defining upstanding four rigid walls with a top edge and a rigid bottom wall, such that each of the four walls lies adjacent a respective one of the two sides and the two fold ends of the package, together with a rigid cover portion covering the top edge;
each of the splices between the splice tail portion and the top strip portion being arranged at the top end of the stacks such that the loose splice tail portion is free from a splice.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of forming a package of a strip comprising:
forming a plurality of stacks of the strip;
the strip having a first side edge, a second side edge, a first surface and a second surface;
in each stack repeatedly folding the strip back and forth so that the stack contains a plurality of folded overlying strip portions of the strip, with each strip portion being folded relative to one next adjacent strip portion about a first fold line transverse to the strip and relative to a second next adjacent strip portion about a second fold line transverse to the strip and spaced from the first fold line;
arranging the strip portions of each stack to form a plurality of first fold lines at one fold end of the stack and a plurality of second fold lines at an opposed fold end of the stack;
arranging the strip portions of each stack such that the first surface of each strip portion lies directly in contact with the first surface of one next adjacent strip portion and such that the second surface of each strip portion lies directly in contact with the second surface of the other next adjacent strip portion;
arranging the strip portions of each stack with the first side edges thereof lying directly on top of an aligned with the first side edges of others of the strip portions of the stack and with the second side edges thereof lying directly on top of and aligned with the second side edges of others of the strip portions of the stack;
arranging the strip portions of each stack with the strip of each stack continuous through the stack between a first end strip portion and a second end strip portion;
and arranging the plurality of stacks side by side with the side edges of the strip portions of each stack adjacent the side edges of a next adjacent stack;
the plurality of stacks thus defining two fold ends of the package containing the fold ends of the stacks and two sides of the package defined by outwardly facing sides of two outermost stacks;
the plurality of stacks being arranged to define first and second strip ends of the package with the first strip end containing all of the first end strip portions of the stacks and the second strip end containing all of the second end strip portions of the stacks;
providing for each stack a splice tail portion extending from a first end strip portion of the stack;
inserting the plurality of stacks into a rectangular container having four rigid side walls each adjacent a respective one of the two sides and the two fold ends of the package;
the height of the stacks between the first and second strip ends being greater than the height of the container such that an exposed portion of the stacks is exposed beyond an edge of the container;
effecting a splice of the splice tail portion to a second end strip portion of a next adjacent stack with each splice tail portion extending along one of the fold ends of the stack;
compressing the stacks such that the stacks are decreased in height to a height equal to the height of the container and such that the splice tail portions thus become loose;
and providing between the rigid wall of the container and said one fold end of the package sufficient space to receive the loose splice tail portion without compression thereof.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of forming a package of a strip comprising:
forming a plurality of stacks of the strip;
the strip having a first side edge, a second side edge, a first surface and a second surface;
in each stack repeatedly folding the strip back and forth so that the stack contains a plurality of folded overlying strip portions of the strip, with each strip portion being folded relative to one next adjacent strip portion about a first fold line transverse to the strip and relative to a second next adjacent strip portion about a second fold line transverse to the strip and spaced from the first fold line;
arranging the strip portions of each stack to form a plurality of first fold lines at one end of the stack and a plurality of second fold lines at an opposed end of the stack;
arranging the strip portions of each stack such that the first surface of each strip portion lies directly in contact with the first surface of one next adjacent strip portion and such that the second surface of each strip portion lies directly in contact with the second surface of the other next adjacent strip portion;
arranging the strip portions of each stack with the first side edges thereof lying directly on top of and aligned with the first side edges of others of the strip portions of the stack and with the second side edges thereof lying directly on top of and aligned with the second side edges of others of the strip portions of the stack;
arranging the strip portions of each stack with the strip of each stack continuous through the stack between a first end strip portion and a second end strip portion;
arranging the plurality of stacks side by side with the side edges of the strip portions of each stack adjacent the side edges of a next adjacent stack;
the plurality of stacks thus defining two fold ends of the package containing the fold ends of the stacks and two sides of the package defined by outwardly facing sides of two outermost stacks;
the plurality of stacks being arranged to define first and second strip ends of the package with the first strip end containing all of the first end strip portions of the stacks and the second strip end containing all of the second end strip portions of the stacks;
wherein the step of folding the strip in the stacks includes:
simultaneously supplying the strips side by side;
feeding the side by side strips through a guide slot in a carriage located underneath the stacks and moveable parallel to a one strip end surface of the stacks and moving the slot back and forth between the ends of the stacks so as to form the stacks on top of the carriage;
providing a container for receiving the side by side stacks, the container having an open mouth and side walls;
and supporting the container with the open mouth facing downwardly toward the carriage such that as the stacks are formed the stacks are fed into the open mouth to engage and be surrounded by the side walls of the container to be received within the container.
According to a sixth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of forming a package of a strip comprising:
forming a plurality of stacks of the strip;
the strip having a first side edge, a second side edge, a first surface and a second surface;
in each stack repeatedly folding the strip back and forth so that the stack contains a plurality of folded overlying strip portions of the strip, with each strip portion being folded relative to one next adjacent strip portion about a first fold line transverse to the strip and relative to a second next adjacent strip portion about a first fold line transverse to the strip and spaced from the first fold line;
arranging the strip portions of each stack to form a plurality of first fold lines at one end of the stack and a plurality of second fold lines at an opposed end of the stack;
arranging the strip portions of each stack such that the first surface of each strip portion lies directly in contact with the first surface of one next adjacent strip portion and such that the second surface of each strip portion lies directly in contact with the second surface of the other next adjacent strip portion;
arranging the strip portions of each stack with the first side edges thereof lying directly on top of and aligned with the first side edges of others of the strip portions of the stack and with the second side edges thereof lying directly on top of and aligned with the second side edges of others of the strip portions of the stack;
arranging the strip portions of each stack with the strip of each stack continuous through the stack between a first end strip portion and a second end strip portion;
arranging the plurality of stacks side by side with the side edges of the strip portions of each stack adjacent the side edges of a next adjacent stack;
the plurality of stacks thus defining two fold ends of the package containing the fold ends of the stacks and two sides of the package defined by outwardly facing sides of two outermost stacks;
the plurality of stacks being arranged to define first and second strip ends of the package with the first strip end containing all of the first end strip portions of the stacks and the second strip end containing all of the second end strip portions of the stacks;
providing a container including a sleeve portion defining four walls, an end wall and an open mouth for feeding the stacks into the open mouth for insertion into the container;
providing on the first end strip portion of each stack a splice tail portion for splicing to a second end strip portion of a next adjacent stack;
before the first strip end enters the open mouth, pulling the splice tail portion to a position beyond one fold end of the stack such that, as the package is fed into the container, the splice tail portions lie along said one fold end of the stack and such that when the container is filled, the splice tail portions are exposed at the open mouth for subsequent splicing to the second end strip portions.